Vampires
Vampires are the reanimated corpses of deceased humans, returned from death by powerful magic. Vampires possess the ability to transform humans into more of their kind via a process involved with death and blood. They are gifted with many supernatural powers, including eternal youth, telepathy, and enhanced condition. However, their myriad powers come at the price of having to consume the blood of the living, and several other mystical weaknesses. Physiology Aging Upon being Turned, vampires cease aging entirely, and will physically remain in the state they were in when turned. However, a vampire is still capable of growing their hair and nails. Furthermore, as a vampire ages, the magic within their blood grows more potent, causing their abilities become more powerful, while the effect of their weaknesses lessens. Furthermore, vampires with higher blood potency will produce more progeny who are start off with greater levels of power. Appearance Vampires resemble ordinary humans, for the most part, but with a few notable differences. Firstly is the fact that all vampires are incredibly physically attractive, as when being turned, their features are modified to be alluring so as to assist in luring in human prey(this is believed by ancient vampires to be a result of Cain, the first vampire, being given a favor by some sort of higher being). Indeed, vampires who are only slightly above average looking are extremely rare, and such individuals would have been truly hideous to look upon in life. Furthermore, all vampires are generally possessed of athletic physiques. In addition to their attractiveness, vampires possess several other characteristics that distinguish their appearance, most notably, what is known as their True Face. When experiencing extreme hunger or strong emotions such as anger, lust, or fear, the blood in a vampires face will flood into their eyes, turning them a dark red color while leaving the surrounding skin deathly pale. Furthermore, their canines will elongate into fangs suitable for puncturing flesh. Diet In order to sustain their immortal existence, vampires are required to consume the blood of other beings, mostly humans. The experience of feeding from a live victim is euphoric to vampires, and causes them to experience what amounts to a massive adrenaline rush. Primarily, vampires exist on the blood of living humans, however, it is also possible for them to subsist on blood from animals or corpses. Animal blood tastes quite disgusting to vampire, and a diet consisting of it will weaken vampires considerably. Blood extracted from corpses that have been dead for more than an hour is utterly repulsive, and provides next to no nutritional value. Despite being required to drink blood, vampires are also capable of consuming ordinary food. When normal food is eaten, it will pass through a vampire's digestive and excretory system as it would for any human. Reproduction Vampires are unable to reproduce sexually, and are generally believed to be infertile. Instead, vampires propagate via a process they call Turning, or the Change. The creation of a new vampire involves a mortal being drained of the vampiric Maker until the point of death. Then, with their Progeny's blood flowing through them, the Maker deposits a small amount of their own blood into the corpse. The corpse will then rise the following morning, in a painful Transition. Sickness, including vomiting and volatile bowel movement will occur, along with headaches, stomach cramps, and fever. Physical changes, such as increased good looks, will also occur. Most prominently, the Transitioning Progeny will begin to experience extreme hunger and thirst, which no food or drink can satisfy. As the day wears on, their temporarily restored life will begin to wane, as their heartbeat slows, and their pulse weakens. As night falls, they will finish with their final changes, their fangs developing as the Thirst becomes maddening. Typically, their Maker will locate them during this time, using the psychic link formed between them, and give them their first taste of blood. Upon its ingestion, the Progeny will enter a state between life and death, as they gain full access to all their powers and bear their weaknesses. Powers And Abilities Vampires, due to the magic innate within their blood, have, over millennia, gained the ability to instinctively employ it for a number of supernatural abilities. Standard Powers These abilities are common to all vampires, and are innate, requiring no training to use. Blood Connection: The magic within their blood enables vampires to perform several telepathic feats. * Maker-Progeny Bond: A telepathic bond exists between a Maker and their Progeny which allows for a number of useful actions. Both are able to "call" out to each other, sending out a signal which informs the other of their location and draws them closer. In the case of the Maker, they are not forced to come, but most Progeny will be drawn towards the call of their Maker unless the Maker's influence upon them is weak. Furthermore, most Makers are able to force their Progeny to take actions they may not be willing to undergo. In addition, most Makers are able to locate their Progeny without a call, as well as being able to sense their general emotional state, unless their Progeny is seriously trying not to be detected. ** Vampiric Bond: Vampires who exchange blood with each other are able to send out calls to each other, similarly to calls between Maker and Progeny, and with extreme concentration, allow them to sense each others emotional state. ** Human Bond: If a vampire allows a human to consume some of their blood, they will be aware of the human's location and emotional state at all times. Eidetic Memory: Vampires are possessed of perfect memory, being able to perfectly recall information and sensations they have stored in their minds. Immortality: Vampires cease aging once turned. Regeneration: Perhaps a vampires most potent ability is their power to recover from damage. In mere seconds, vampires are able to heal from stab wounds, gunshots, severe brain damage, severe burns, and broken bones with minor discomfort. Their healing abilities are more than sufficient for them to completely regrow organs and lost limbs, though such severe injuries take longer to heal than minor ones. Furthermore, a vampires healing factor renders them utterly immune to all forms of pathogens and toxins. A vampires regenerative abilities grow more potent as they age, enabling more rapid and efficient healing. Super Durability: Vampires are far more durable than ordinary humans. They are utterly unfazed by blows from humans, even when armed with some sort of bludgeoning weapon. While gunshots and blades are still perfectly capable of inflicting damage on them, they do not cause serious pain and are mostly viewed as annoyances. Super Senses: Vampires' senses are far beyond those of natural creatures. Their vision is hawk-like, and they are able to see perfectly even in total darkness, while their hearing enables them to detect the flow of blood within a person's veins within several hundred feet of them. Vampires possess superior senses of touch which enable them to detect subtle textures and minute temperature changes, while their taste allows them to distinguish a variety of usually unnoticeable flavors. Their sense of smell is also incredibly acute, though noticeably inferior to that of werewolves, and is specifically hardwired towards blood. They are not usually able to distinguish individuals by their scent unless they are bleeding, however, like werewolves, they are usually able to distinguish supernatural species by their aroma. Super Speed: Newborn vampires are endowed with superhuman speed that enables them to run and move far faster than any human. Their speed also encompasses their reflexes, allowing them to easily react to high velocity projectiles and move to fast for humans to react. Furthermore, their thought process is similarly accelerated, enabling them to think and process information far more quickly than humans. Like their strength, a vampires speed increases with age. Super Stamina: Vampires are unable to tire from physical exertion, and as such, do not require sleep, instead having the ability to enter a state of stillness where they remain conscious of their surroundings during the day. While exercise does not tire them, vampires do begin to weaken from lack of blood, a process which is exacerbated by them being forced to repeatedly regenerate from injuries. Super Strength: Vampires, even as newborns, possess enormous degrees of superhuman strength that enables them to easily overpower, manhandle, and maul most natural creatures, with the only other non-divine beings able to challenge them being werewolves, who without the full moon, can be overpowered by even newborns. Their strength is sufficient to easily dismember most animals, flip cars, bend steel, and pulverize concrete with their blows. However, given that a vampire's strength increases with age, their might is potentially unlimited. Common Powers This abilities are possessed by many vampires, but require training to utilize. Their more basic powers are easily learned, but advanced abilities are still only usable to the most powerful of vampires. Blood Manipulation: Vampires are able to control blood, in all its forms. Blood can be expelled from their bodies as projectiles, or for more proficient users, shaped into weapons. Furthermore, truly skilled users of the ability are able to manipulate the blood in the bodies of other beings, being able to use it to manipulate their movements, heat or cool it to cause death, or simply to kill them by making it explode. When combined with body manipulation, this can be used to transform the user into a mass of blood. Body Manipulation: Vampires are able to manipulate their own forms with relative ease, given the magic coursing through their veins. They are able to make small alterations at the most basic level, such as growing claws. More advanced uses can allow one to transform into animals, and when combined with umbrakinesis, weather control or blood manipulation, can allow users to transform into shadow, mist, or blood. However, true masters of this ability are able to alter bodies other than their own, and can craft other beings into horrific monstrosities. Telepathy: Vampires are possessed of a number of telepathic abilities, most of which require physical contact to initiate. At the most basic level, this enables vampires to communicate with others by the exchange of thoughts, but it also allows them to examine, alter, remove and even fabricate memories. These abilities function on both humans and animals. * Dream Manipulation: Vampires are able to enter the minds and manipulate their dreams of sleeping individuals. Those who are more proficient with this ability do not require physical contact to utilize it, with merely being near a sleeping individual being sufficient. * Emotional Projection: Vampires are able to project from themselves auras which incite certain emotions in those who enter the area of effect. Vampires are able to induce fear and awe in those who enter close proximity with them. Truly potent users are able to make themselves appear beautifully divine or terrifyingly infernal to anyone near them, and can attract or repel people within their field of power. * Illusion: Vampires are able to project false sensations into the minds of individuals. Typically, this can be accomplished through physical prolonged contact. More skilled users require only brief contact to establish a mental connection, and can thereafter project illusions to another persons mind simply by maintaining proximity. Truly powerful users are able to project illusions over greater distances and to greater numbers of people at once. It is also possible using this ability to appear invisible, by blocking sensory input detecting the user from someone's mind. * Mental Communication: Vampires are able to have conversations via telepathic communication, and can both project sounds and images into the minds of other beings. This is most easily done through skin to skin contact, but more skilled users can communicate with close proximity, and masters are able to do from long distances away. * Mesmerization: Vampires are capable of controlling the thoughts and actions of humans by overriding a victim's will with their own. This is usually accomplished by making direct eye contact, before speaking a command. Less skilled users often require several seconds of prolonged eye contact, or in the case of the truly impotent, physical contact, for the command to take effect, whilst more potent users are able to forgo eye contact entirely. It is also possible for the masterfully powerful to control large groups of people at once. Using this ability, vampires can force humans to follow their orders, make them think whatever they choose, or even forcibly alter their memories. However, this method of mind alteration usually leaves blank spots in a victims memory, making it easy for other telepathic beings to discern what has occurred. Furthermore, vampires who are also skilled at mental communication to implant commands telepathically instead of verbally, if they are sufficiently skilled at mesmerization. Advanced Powers Only old and powerful vampires are able to use these abilities. Telekinesis: Powerful vampires are able to generate force with thought alone. They can cause expulsions of force, and with greater degrees of skill, finely manipulate objects. Greatly skilled users are able to employ the ability for levitation and even flight. Umbrakinesis: Strong vampires are able to control shadows and darkness. Most basic applications of this ability allow them to cloak themselves in darkness, becoming invisible. More potent applications allow constructs of darkness to be made, which can be used for defense or as weaponry. Weather Manipulation: Vampires of great potency are able to control the weather. Low level uses of this power allow for the generation of weak winds and the manipulation of fog and mist. Stronger uses allow clouds to be created, enabling powerful vampires to walk about with protection from the sun during the day. Truly powerful users are able to create storms, which they can use to summon devastating winds and call down bolts of lightning. Weaknesses Even given their immense power, vampires are possessed of several weaknesses which allow for them to be harmed and killed. Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight will cause a vampire's tissues to burn away. Standing in direct sunlight usually causes vampires to burst into flames and disintegrate after a few moments, killing them. It should be noted that only sunlight itself produces this effect, and that no artificial substitutes of sunlight will produce the effect. Invitation: Vampires are physically unable to enter a private dwelling unless they have been given an invitation to enter by one of the residents. This invitation can not be revoked, and once given, a vampire may enter and leave a dwelling as they please. Wood: Curiously, wounds inflicted by wood function far differently than others, causing vampires serious pain, where ordinary weapons would inflict mild discomfort. Furthermore, if wood is embedded in a vampire's body, their healing factor will not force it out like it would any other foreign object, requiring manual removal. If a substantial amount of wood penetrates a vampires heart, it will result in instantaneous death for most vampires, and for older ones, as long as the wood remains embedded there, they will be paralyzed and unable to move. Verbena: Verbena has a similar effect on vampires as aconite does to werewolves. When exposed to it, a vampires tissues will corrode, and ingestion of it will weaken them and slow their healing abilities. Furthermore, verbena also serves to foil their psychic abilities, and any individual with it on their person, or having recently consumed it will be utterly immune to their mind control, and it will be impossible for vampires to enter their minds. However, no matter how large the amount of verbena ingested is, it will not kill a vampire. Exsanguination: Blood deprivation has severely detrimental effects on vampires. After several days without feeding, most vampires will become irritable and experience a decrease in physical ability. After about three weeks, they will enter a feral state where they will attack and drain nearly any creature with blood in it in order to sate their hunger. After about a month, they will begin to desiccate, becoming similar to mummified corpses, and be completely unable to move until blood is reintroduced to their systems. During long periods of starvation, there is a strong chance that they may be driven to insanity, as they are fully conscious for all the time they are desiccated. Decapitation: Decapitation will result in immediate death for a vampire. Heart Extraction: The removal of the heart will result in the immediate death of a vampire. Known Vampires Category:Races